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    You are here Home » IDPs

    10 Ways to Make Sure Training Sticks

    Last updated on Feb 18, 2014 by Dan McCarthy · This post may contain affiliate links

    I recently asked readers to submit their burning leadership
    development questions
    . Those that get picked for a post will receive a free
    copy of my eBook.

    This question
    from Sheryl:

    “My staff and I have been trained on
    different communication and learning styles.  How do we keep from falling
    into the same habits and keep what we’ve learned in use?”

    Great question,
    and good for Sheryl for recognizing what usually happens after being training
    in a new skill and wanting to proactively do something about it.

    Here are 10
    tips for making sure new habits stick after a training program:

    1. Practice, practice, and more
    practice.
    Try this:
    fold your arms the way your usually do. Unfold them. Now, fold them again,
    except this time, fold them the opposite of how you normally would. Feels
    pretty weird, doesn’t it? You really had to think about it.

    Unfold them,
    and do it again. Still weird, but a little less, right?

    Repeat, 2-3
    more times. Soon, you’ll be able to do it almost as fast, without having to
    think about it.

    However, if I
    asked you to do it again tomorrow, chances are you’d be compelled to go back to
    your old way, and it would just as hard to fold them the new way.

    That little exercise
    illustrates how hard it is to change our “old habits”.  It’s hard!

    That’s why it’s
    always good to build in practice time in a training program, in a safe
    environment, to try out new skills. Then, you need to look for opportunities to
    practice at work and home, until it starts to feel natural. It takes time and perseverance
    – some say up to a year!

    2. Identify the benefits of changing
    (and the pitfalls).

    See Is
    that Development Goal Really Worth it?
    Taking the time to consider the
    implications of changing – or not changing – will help create the internal
    motivation, ownership, and commitment to change.

    3. Establish goals and write them
    down.
    See The
    Power of a Written Individual Development Plan
    .

    4. Share your goals with others. There is power in making a “public
    declaration” – it helps hold you accountable. See Individual
    Development Plans (IDPs) Are Worthless….

    5. Establish a daily follow-up and
    measurement mechanism.

    See How
    to Make sure you Achieve your 2014 Leadership Goals
    . I’ve tried this and it
    works!

    6. Schedule weekly, then monthly
    check-ins with your team
    .
    Share what’s working, what’s not, how to overcome barriers, etc… keep it alive –
    social reinforcement is powerful!

    7. Share additional tips, articles, and
    best practices.
    Some
    training programs make these available for post-training reinforcement, and
    some offer newsletters and blogs that you can subscribe to.

    8. Do refresher training, or a “level
    2” training.

    9. Provide reinforcement. As the team’s leader, you can look
    for ways to reward effort and behavior change, and at the risk of sounding
    heavy-handed, make the new skills are a performance expectation. It’s a “carrot
    and stick” approach, and many would say
    ineffective – but I had to include it for the Aubrey Daniels fans out there.

    10. Create “job aids”. Kind of like crib sheet for your new
    skills – key steps, reminders, etc… It could be 3x5 laminated cards, screen
    savers, whatever.

    How about
    other readers – any additional tips for making training and new skills stick?
    « A Toolkit for Leading Change
    Leading Like the Energizer Bunny »
    AFTER ENTRY

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